we're back now with re of "today" on thursday morning, the 11th day of october, 2012. and thanks to you folks for sticking around on a chilly morning. i'm matt lauer along with savannah gurthrie and al roker. and coming up, today's professionals. >> with nick offerman, one of our favorites from "parks and rec." he'll be here with star and

donny. that's right. and did you know it's healthy week here at nbc. so now that the cold and flu season is upon us, we've got some important advice for parents on how you should and should not be treating your kids. and then later, good housekeeping gets up close and personal with first lady michelle obama and ann romney. and we're going to look at that. and natalie standing by at the news desk with a check of the headlines. >> good morning, matt, savannah, and al, and good morning, everyone. police in colorado have recovered a body not far from the home of missing 10-year-old girl jessica ridgeway. miguel, good morning. >> reporter: natalie, good morning. just a few moments ago in what was a short and fairly uneventful news briefing, police released no further detail on that body that was recovered. of course, as you mentioned, it was recovered late wednesday afternoon. police releasing details about that body late last night. they would not say the sex or

even the age or gender of that body that was discovered. it was found some 7 miles away from the home of 10-year-old jessica ridgeway. she's been missing nearly a week now. she vanished on friday morning when she was walking to school. investigators have made it very clear that her parents are not suspects and just yesterday they did confirm that this case has now turned into an abduction case. they have named no suspects in this case as the search for little jessica continues. again, no further information on that body that was discovered just 7 miles from her home. natalie? >> miguel, thank you. vice president joe biden faces off with congressman paul ryan today in the only v.p. debate of the election season. democrats are hoping for some redemption after the president's lackluster performance at the first debate with mitt romney in denver last week. on wednesday, the president acknowledged that he was too polite with his republican challenger and he's out to be more active in the next two

debates. and you can watch the vice presidential debate tonight at 9:00 eastern, 6:00 pacific time right here on nbc. an amazing rescue this morning in miami where a construction worker was pulled out alive from a collapsed parking garage 13 hours after getting trapped inside. he's in critical condition. two others were killed, and there is still one worker missing. lance armstrong's attorney says a new report on doping allegations against the seven-time tour de france winner is quote a one-sided hatchet job. details released wednesday by the u.s. anti-doping agency include the names of 11 former teammates who accused armstrong of using performance-enhancing drugs and pressuring fellow team cycling members to do the same. armstrong who insisted he never cheated did not fight the latest charges. new trouble this morning for the massachusetts drug company linked to the outbreak of meningitis that has killed 12 people and sickened more than 130 others.

massachusetts governor duvall patrick says the new england compounding center may have misled regulators and worked outside the parameters of its state license. the pharmacy made steroid injections that were found to be contaminated with the fungal strain of meningitis. the company has since shut down. well, before he played the lovable dad on tv's "webster" or punched a horse in the mel brooks' comedy classic "blazing saddles," karras was one of the most feared nfl players. he died at his home in los angeles. he recently had suffered kidney failure and diagnosed with dementia. he was 77 years old. is there a superstar gene? well, this family tree might offer a clue. it turns out justin bieber is a distant cousin of some other famous canadian stars, including ryan gosling and averil lavigne. they traced the star's family history back to one french

couple who became some of quebec's first settlers back in the 17th century. the biebs and celine dion are also tenth cousins through another pair of early canadian settlers. well, pushing a baby stroller can be a chore, especially when you're going uphill. so that inspired british dad collin fers to build this four-speed ten horsepower mega stroller. he says he can only fantasize about taking his 1-month-old son jake for a ride because his girlfriend wouldn't be happy about it. no, certainly not. but looks like a fun ride. five minutes after the hour, let's go out to al with a check of the weather. >> i actually invented a rocket-powered baby bjorn. where are you from? >> salt lake city. >> you're used to the chilly weather. >> yeah. >> it's all good. unzipped like that. very nice. let's show you what's going on. we've got, again, a lot of wet

weather making its way through the great lakes, up to the north there. even seeing some snow mixed in. a lot of wet weather in the southwest for today. look for that shower and thunderstorm activity from southern california into the southwest. snow showers in parts of the northern section of the upper midwest. morning showers are also in new england, breezy conditions continue here in the northeast. but gorgeous sunshine. that's what's going on >> it is going to turn out to be a pretty nice day today. we will see plenty of sunshine as we head through this thursday. expect >> i have a question for you,

sir. do you have long underwear on? >> it's not every day someone in the audience asks you if you have underwear on. >> i'm a little uncomfortable. where are you from? >> where we're from, everybody wears long underwear. >> right now, are you? >> no. >> okay. there you go! it got even more uncomfortable. >> we have an audience with no boundaries today, apparently. good to have you here. when we come back, today's professionals are in the house. nick offerman joining the group right after these messages. [ male announcer ] in a world where breakfast has become boring and tasteless... only one man can save the day. ♪ ♪ he's nutty! ♪ he's crunchy! [ male announcer ] it's crunchy nut! honey sweet flakes with nuts in every bite! ♪ he saves the day! ♪ in his tasty way! ♪ ♪ he is the crunchy nut! [ male announcer ] kellogg's crunchy nut. it's super delicious!

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back now with "today's professionals." our panel star jones, donny deutch, and special guest star

today nick offerman of parks and rec on nbc. we're going to talk about your new season in a little while. but first, we're going to get crazy with these people. >> splendid. >> you ready? >> yes, ma'am. >> let's start with the v.p. debate. the "washington post" had a nice article, and the "post" article talked about whether there will be a difference in the way the candidates treat the moderator because she is a woman. a lot of people felt that the last debate kind of got rolled over by the candidates. any of you guys think that gender's going to make a difference? >> i mean, i don't. she's a very gifted and talented reporter. i've seen you do interviews with male candidates and i kind of see you as relentless. i see the women doing their thing. they act professional. >> of course she's going to be comfortable. it's are the men in a different box? yes. >> really? >> it's very simple. i don't know if this is politically correct or incorrect. we watch every human nuance. and if all of a sudden either a

candidate talks over her or in some way does what they did to jim, i think unfortunately, it's going to look bad. it's not the question of her competency, it's the question of so many women watching. i -- it's the same way in this discussion, i always wait and i let you guys go first. and there is sometimes a little nuance. >> what do you think, nick? >> you are so pushy anyway. >> well, i didn't want to interrupt either of you. but i -- i tend to agree with donny that nature takes over. and i think that in our heads it makes sense that people would be -- would not be deferential to either sex, but there's that old-fashioned sense of manners where if you see somebody cut off a woman or speak sharply, you're like, oh, that was rather bullying. >> let's look at the flip side of it for a moment. do you think she'll be criticized if she follows up, if she interrupts, tries to be dogged on the candidates. will people say, oh, she's being shrill. >> i think you might get that.

>> no, absolutely not. no, i think that she -- people will be expecting the journalist to behavior. i don't think they see the gender difference there. it's the reaction of the candidates. and trust me, i will promise you both of their advisers are behind the scenes at a big discussion point at how to handle it. it is, kids. trust me. >> you're saying be courteous. >> if either one of them is in any way seen kind of bullying her, a lot of women, a lot of women in this country would look at that and go no-no, that's a fact. >> let's move on to the next topic. doctors texting teens in an effort to communicate better with their teenage patients. texting things, you know, directions for prescriptions, that kind of thing, even getting on facebook. do you think this is a step in the right direction? or do you see it kind of fraught? >> no, i plfind the whole thing terrifying. i think that lines should be drawn and that information can be made available through social networking or online, but to

make personal messaging, i think, is crossing a line. >> is it because they're teens? or do you think for any doctor/patient relationship you don't want to see in social media? >> i get concerned with the privacy laws that are required when it comes to health care professionals. we don't know where these text messages go, where facebook ends up. you may press one button, and it ends up being a public message. i'm uncomfortable with that on one level and even more uncomfortable when it comes to young people having interaction without their parents and medical decisions. >> yeah, clearly as a dad, i don't want lawyers, doctors, teachers, anyone, any adult interacting with my teenager without my permission. doctors or anybody else. to nick's point -- i like having a guy here, we tend to agree on everything. i'm used to getting smacked around pretty hard. trust me. i'm a firm, firm believer in you want that controlled by the parents and i don't think there's any other side to that argument. >> let's stay with the teen issue for a second. something happening in texas.

two schools in san antonio are raising eyebrows because they're tracking students with microchip student i.d. cards. apparently they require the students to carry their student i.d. at school, it enables them to know where they are on the school grounds. it's apparently to crack down on the truancy problem. do you think it's okay? >> no, i don't think that's okay. i think that's used in prisons, at amusement parks. if you want to put it on your kid's i.d. in case something horrible happens, but you're a student in school, i think you have human rights, i don't think you're there as a prisoner and i have a big issue. >> i don't have a problem with it whatsoever. you're supposed to be in school and young people don't have the exact same rights as adults and we need to recognize they're not just shorter grown-ups, they're young people. and you don't have the exact same rights. >> i think nick and donny are going to agree again. >> i'm afraid so. i think this is about 15 minutes to 1984. i find it terrifying, i think it's one step away from planting

chips in everybody so that facebook and mcdonald's can track where we're at all times. >> we're right now in the middle of this tragedy trying to find this little girl that i guarantee you their parents would've had no problems with -- >> that's different. they're not abducting kids from schools. that's not the reason -- >> the real reason -- the real reason -- >> one minute. you get money, the school gets money when they can calculate how many people are in class. that's one of the reasons. >> by putting a chip is not going to keep a chip in class. tune into the nick and donny man hour. >> are you seeing how tense it gets sometimes? >> i'm about to vomit in my own mouth. keep going, savannah. >> we've got a new topic. honey boo boo has body guards. i think there have been threats against the family. do you see any problem with this? she's on television -- >> what's going to be sad is to visit this little girl ten years from now. i'm not passing judgment on what people should or shouldn't do with their kids. but you will watch and see this is a future accident waiting to

happen. to me, something a body guard for a 7-year-old, well, that should tell you something right there. >> you think the whole show is -- >> and i think once you get to a point that a child needs a bodyguard because what you're doing to them on television, it's a simple story there. >> she does probably need a bodyguard. >> but that says something she shouldn't be doing. >> we're talking about what's -- she's in reality television now. and once you're in reality television, there's a famili familiarity that people tend to think they have with you. people think that's their little kid they have some impact on her life. and if her life is in danger and her parents have decided to do that, she needs a bodyguard. >> you're a tv star, you're a celebrity. what do you think? >> that's generous. well, thank you. i would agree with both of you that her situation certainly requires protection from the public because people in the public can become scary and overfamiliar. but i would -- >> so can donny, actually. but that's a different story. >> that was clear earlier this morning. during our warm-up segment,

which i was not prepared for. >> i thought the hugging was a little strange, but okay. >> it was comfortable. >> good to get your opinion, nick. and we're going to talk about "parks and rec" in a minute. will you stick around? >> yes, i will. >> thanks as always. coming up next. flu season is upon us. the right treatments coming up after this. go! go out tonight - be social! then stay in tomorrow. make a date with your flat screen. olive garden's new dinner today, dinner tomorrow. two dinners for two nights, just $12.95. choose one of five entrees tonight, like new mezzaluna ravioli. served with unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks. then choose a second entrée to take home for tomorrow all for just $12.95. this has "movie night" written all over it. new dinner today, dinner tomorrow go before it's gone! go olive garden.

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available with a patented safety alert seat. when there's danger you might not see, you're warned by a pulse in the seat. it's technology you won't find in a mercedes e-class. the all-new cadillac xts has arrived, and it's bringing the future forward. this morning on "go healthy today," remedies for the flu. on average, adults catch a cold about two to three times a year. but for kids, it's a lot more than that. the pediatrician and spokesperson for the american academy of pediatrics. good to see you again. >> thank you for having me. >> so kids can catch up to ten colds a year? >> sometimes even a few more. especially if they're around other children. that's why we teach kids to cover their cough, use a tissue when they blow their nose and throw it away. wash their hands frequently and in classrooms, make sure

teachers are wiping and cleaning surfaces. >> just to be clear, there's a difference between the cold and a flu? >> there is. they're both caused be i viruses, but many cold viruses and there's several flu viruses. the best way to decrease your chance of getting either one is to get a flu vaccine and wash your hands frequently. >> let's say your child gets home, sneezing, coughing, there are medications you don't want to give your kids. >> right. so cold and cough medications are not recommended for children under age 2. and that's according to the american academy of pediatrics and the fda. between age 2 and 6, it's really best not to use them. and use them with caution and only when directed by your pediatrician because they haven't been shown to be effective and there may be unpleasant side effects. >> they offer specific symptoms, specific relief. so the big thing we're worried about is overdosing, right? >> exactly. and if you look at a multi-symptom cold medicine, often you'll find several ingredients.

so the mistake i often see parents make, they'll give their child tylenol and an hour later give them a cold medicine that may also have it in there and they're double-dosing their child. you want to read the ingredients on the box and follow the direction. >> and recently they changed the dose, haven't they? >> it's used to reduce a fever. and you don't need to treat all fevers, but if it's making your child uncomfortable, give an appropriate dose. there used to be two concentrations. the infant concentrated drops and the children's liquid. and that was often confusing for parents. they changed it to one concentration. the children's concentration, but it will be dosed for infants with a syringe and for children with a measuring cup. and make sure you always use the measuring device that comes with the medication you're giving. >> what about ibprofen. some parents like it because it lasts a little longer than other

fever-reducing medications. i like to use it at night because who wouldn't like an extra hour or two of sleep where your children are comfortable? >> right. and antihistamines? >> it can help to dry up a runny nose or a cough if the cough is due to the runny nose. but be careful since a lot of antihistamines can cause sedation, especially in children. and once in a while, you'll get a child that gets hyper on it. >> my son is one of those. you see on some packaging d.m., what does that mean? >> usually it's the most commonly used over-the-counter cough medicine. and you'll find it in many multi-symptom cough medicines. a study was done that shows that honey which you can only use over age 1 may actually be more effective in treating a cough. >> and if your kid has mucus? >> there's different medications. look for a common medication to help break up the mucus.

fenal ephrine, but again, you always want to talk to your doctor. >> thank you so much. and still to come, the perfect pound cake after your local news and weather. [ woman ] ring. ring. progresso. i just served my mother-in-law your chicken noodle soup but she loved it so much... i told her it was homemade. everyone tells a little white lie now and then. but now she wants my recipe [ clears his throat ] [ softly ] she's right behind me isn't she? [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. turn to senokot-s tablets. senokot-s has a natural vegetable laxative ingredient

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> we are going to see plenty of sunshine into the afternoon. the breeze will make it feel kind of chili. we will keep this thing going into the weekend, dry but cool. high of only 16 on saturday.

you're fired. you're fired. this is a tough one, you're fired. you're fired. fired. >> and yet the hair stays the same. >> i had the exact same thought. >> he's back. the donald and his signature phrase returning for another season of "celebrity apprentice." and this year, trump will be here to reveal the new cast tomorrow on "today." and i'm sure will have something to say about tonight's vice presidential debate. >> you think? always fired up about politics, right? >> i'm al roker along with savannah gurthrie, natalie morales. and we want to tell you a few other things coming up. on monday, trisha yearwood stops by. >> and in the kitchen cooking up some of her favorite family recipes. >> sings and cooks.

and ahead in this half hour, the woman behind the race for the white house, first lady michelle obama and ann romney talk to "good housekeeping" about their causes, their families. revealing some things you might not have known about the candidates. when is the right time to start giving your kids an allowance? and how much should you be giving them? we're going to tell you the average for every age and the lessons you're teaching your kids about hopefully saving money. >> does allowance have some inflation over the years? >> i believe so. so will the tooth fairy. >> i know the tooth fairy has. plus, a little bit of spice makes everything so nice. we're going to be making an easy spiced orange pound cake perfect for a halloween treat in just a little bit. >> but first, let's get a check on the weather. it's chilly outside. >> it's a tad brisk. let's see what we have for you today. the briskness will continue in the northeast and new england. risk of strong storms making their way along the missouri/arkansas border. we've got some beautiful weather in the pacific northwest, very

wet through the southwest into southern california. that moisture spreads east so we've got a risk of strong storms from northern texas and nebraska. we're going to be looking at evening showers in the pacific northwest. cool and partly cloudy here in the northeast. and a few morning showers up in new england. >> it is going to be a quiet >> and that's your latest weather. >> all right, al. thanks. we want to bring back nick offerman and his famous mustache. "parks and rec" now in the fifth season.

good morning to both. >> thank you. good morning. >> we love that show around here. i have to say, are you now at the point you get renewed for the season, there's no trepidation, will we or won't we? >> i don't know, i think network tv is in a precarious position and we can no longer tell if the numbers from the nielsen ratings are indicative of what's going on because so many of the young smart people are watching it online. and so there's always -- there's always, we never feel really comfortable. we're always really relieved like, whew. >> now you're in the fifth season, you get a little love interest here with lucy lawlis? wow. >> tell us about that. >> what's up with that? >> it's -- i've never in 20 years of a professional acting such a champion of a lady in front of me. i've played her plumber and her bus driver, but i've never played the guy with her. >> can a romantic comed be far

behind at this point? >> gosh, i don't know. that seems like a stretch to me, you never know. >> i understand your ex-wife tammy 2 back on the scene played by your own wife megan malali, how is that going to work. >> it's going to be very interesting that tammy 2 is quite a monster and she's gotten wind of ron's new love interest. some havoc will be wreaked. >> and you and your wife are doing all kinds of projects together. >> we are. we have so much fun. we get to work on films together. we have one opening on the 12th called "smashed," which is really good. and she has a new band called nancy and beth. and they've been opening for a live show i do. and we have so much fun getting to play together. >> cool. >> it's a blessing. >> play together, stay together. >> yes, ma'am. >> i love it. >> the mustache, megan, and yourself. >> the mustache gets a little more attention than i do.

it's early. >> we're so happy to see you. thanks for hanging out with us today. >> thanks for having me. >> and you can catch "parks and rec" tonight 9:30/8:30 central on nbc. coming up next, political wives up close. "good housekeeping" sits down with michelle obama and ann romney. irregularity is no big deal, think twice. it may be a sign that your digestive system could be working better. listen to this. with occasional irregularity, things your body doesn't use could be lingering in your system, causing discomfort. but activia has been shown in clinical studies to help with slow intestinal transit when consumed 3 times per day. 7 out of 10 doctors recommend activia. and the great taste is recommended by me! ♪ activia that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel.

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between paying more and getting more. that's value sense. at scott we're all about value. introducing the scott shared values program. get deals like free movie rentals, music downloads, and even free admission to family attractions nationwide. use your value sense. sign up at scottbrand.com. "today on the trail" is brought to you by nissan. innovation that excites. this morning on "today" on the trail, up close and personal with two influential women hoping to occupy the white house for the next four years. first lady michelle obama and ann romney. rosemary ellis recently spent some time with these remarkable women. rosemary, good morning. >> good morning. >> now "good housekeeping" is not a political magazine. but this is something you've done in the past for your readers. they want to know who these women are. >> that's right. 1 in 5 american women read "good

housekeeping," a favorite magazine of teachers. these are women who care about the issues in this election and they vote. >> and you sat with each of the ladies for more than an hour, as i understand, was any topic off limits? >> mrs. obama's campaign didn't stipulate any topics off limit, mrs. romney's campaign said not to ask politic questions, but she did answer them. >> the last election around, several times since then. is there anything that surprises you about her? >> she's an amazing woman. she's so passionate and caring about the issues. she's whip smart. and she never ceases to to impress me how she doesn't talk in sound bites. she refuses to answer with over simplistic answers. she really gets into the meat of what she's talking about. and as a reader and journalist, i appreciate that. >> very passionate, that is clear. now, what did you get in terms of something new. some insight into her relationship with the president

and their marriage? >> you know, really interesting. first of all, they work out together every morning. she goes in earlier, she said, because she has to do hair and make-up. but they do that together. and she also talked about something that was really surprising to me. you know, she sort of seems like the sunnier one and he seems like mr. serious. she said, in fact, he is the optimist in the relationship. and he has taught her in the course of their marriage to not worry, to be able to shake, you know, the trials of a day off and keep your eye on the prize. she called him my steady compass. and it's a really sweet insight into how they lean on each other in a very good way in their marriage. >> very interesting. and i think another thing that was interesting, as well, leaning on a compass, it seems like mrs. romney and mrs. obama both really are spiritual. and they look to a higher source, right? >> yeah. what became clear in these interviews, they both prayed daily. in different ways, but michelle obama said you can't be in this job and not lean on a higher

power. as she talked about how she invokes that with daily prayer and how they pray at meal time with their kids. and ann romney talked about how she prays while she's working out in the morning. >> mrs. romney, i understand this is your first time meeting her. i've interviewed her, as well. what did you think about her? first impression? >> you know, she's lovely. she's warm and honestly she's more open than a lot of political wives or candidates that i've interviewed in the past, which i really appreciated. and i know "good housekeeping" readers will appreciate it. >> she brought you to tears. >> she was talking about the early days when she found out she had a mass -- before it was over, i had a few tears in my eyes too. she was very sympathetic and warm. >> i think she had a little revelation in terms of revealing something new about her husband we maybe did not know. what was that? >> yes, it was interesting. first, this is a big surprise because i asked the question any woman in america could answer. you know, if you could change one thing about your husband, what would it be? and at first she said, nothing, i would change nothing. and i looked at her like, you're

kidding, right? she talked about how he had to really learn to curb his temper when their kids were little and how he could flare up and he's learned to control that. and i said that is a side of mitt romney, mitt romney's a management consultant, he's buttoned up, and we don't see that. i was surprised about that. >> if you could, what is the most profound thought that each of the women communicated during their interviews? >> ann romney talked a lot about what a strength her marriage was to her. how mitt romney said to her when she was diagnosed with m.s. and she was in a deep depression that he didn't care if she made dinner, they could have cereal and toast as long as they were together. and michelle obama, you know, when she talks about the issue she cares about, you know, making sure that everyone has health care, making sure kids get nutritious meals. making sure that women have access to equal pay and work opportunities. it's really moving to hear her talk about the issues because it's so clear that she cares about them deeply.

>> rosemary ellis, great issue of "housekeeping" magazine. it pays to be a kid. so how much allowance should you be giving them exactly? that's right after this. [ male announcer ] wouldn't it be cool if we took the nissan altima and reimagined nearly everything in it? gave it greater horsepower and best in class 38 mpg highway... advanced headlights... and zero gravity seats? yeah, that would be cool. ♪ introducing the completely reimagined nissan altima. it's our most innovative altima ever. nissan. innovation that excites. ♪ nissan. innovation that excites. onof chocolate lovers from the thmelting point of chocolate.

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zach canton's dad gave him a pep talk about asking out the cutest girl in algebra. the metcalfe brothers had a staring contest to see who'd get the last bite of dessert. four old roommates debated whether asia was or wasn't the greatest '80s supergroup ever. and a surprise birthday party caught amanda sullivan totally off-guard. all over delicious entrees like new smoky chipotle chicken fajitas from our $20 dinner for two. chili's -- more life happens here. this morning on "today's money," kids and allowances. they're never too young to learn financial responsibility. how much should you be giving

your kids? the author of "money rules." good to see you. >> nice to see you. >> it goes without saying that as your kids get older, the amount you're paying them out goes up. and seems like, obviously, we're paying them more than our parents gave us. >> well, clearly, it's not worth as much when our parents gave it to us. but we're basing this off a study that came from the american institute of cpas. these are the average allowances. they go from about $6 a week for kids from 4 to 12 up to $35 a week for 18 to 24-year-olds. >> there's a 25-year-old getting an allowance? >> yeah, that is one of the problematic things out of this research. we know more 25-year-olds are back on their parents' couches. what i hope is that everybody who is giving their kid an allowance is also giving their kid a list of things the parent will no longer pay for. allowance only works when your kid has to take that sum of money and then manage it. if you're still handing them $5 here and $10 there, you're

wasting your money. >> so the idea is interesting. the survey says 54% of parents started giving their kids allowance at 8 or younger. >> i think that's great. absolutely. kids can learn to make choices about how to allocate their resources at those young ages, just like they can make choices about what to wear in the morning. and if you've ever had a kid go with you to the store and start whining i want this and i want that and, you know, we've been there. you say bring your wallet. bring your money. and then they can decide. >> all of a sudden they're a little more judicious about it. >> exactly. >> children do one hour of work a week in exchange for allowance. i know you don't do this with your kids. why do you feel it's wrong to tie chores to allowance? >> i don't feel it works for every child. kids should absolutely empty the dishwasher, chip in around the house, do something. but you've got to ask yourself, do i have a kid motivated by money? if your kids are more likely to actually do the chores if you

tie them to something else like screen time on the computer, tie it to that instead. >> sure. and where do you fall on this. survey also looked a the the issue of paying a kid for good grades. >> right, an "a" is worth $16.60 on average. again, who is your child? is your child internally motivated to get good grades? we're starting to see research about the fact that paying kids to stay in school, when kids don't have a lot of resources is a lot of times effective. you've got to look at what's going to get them to do the right thing. >> you say you should really have -- start having financial discussions with your kids early, right? >> right. >> what kind of discussions? >> about how much things cost. about how much college is going to cost. about how much you can get for what. kids need to have a basis in reality where their money is concerned. 81% of parents actually do talk to their kids about money not as much as talk to them about good eating habits and not smoking.

money is -- it's not like juggling, right? it's not this optional skill that you can go through life and never have to deal with. >> right. >> everybody needs to know how to handle money because this generation of kids is going to have a lot more financial responsibility than we do. >> sure. >> and we already have a lot more than our parents. >> well, thanks for ending on that happy note. >> talk about it. >> thanks so much. >> sure. and up ahead, we're going to spice things up for halloween in "today's" kitchen with an awfully spicy pound cake. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

"today's" kitchen is brought to you by chile's. more life happens here. this morning in today's kitchen, delicious desserts, pound cake with a spiced orange glaze. sounds yummy. catherine is the executive chef at the hillshire brands. love the pound cake, i don't

love the pounds. >> we're not going to talk about that. >> not going to talk about that. we won't talk about that exactly. >> exactly. >> show you how to make it, enjoy it. >> it's a pound of sugar, a pound of water. pound of sugar. >> aren't you excited to talk about it? >> butter, right? >> pound of sugar, pound of butter, pound of cake flour. >> okay. >> pound of eggs. >> makes it easy. >> that would make a huge cake, but that's the original recipe and where the name comes from. this is parchment paper. i've already started, you're going to line it, it's a non-stick pan. the reason i'm doing this to make it easy to lift out. >> okay. >> even though it's nonstick -- >> lots of butter in it. >> lots of butter. >> we're going to turn this on. i've already creamed some butter here. >> uh-huh. >> going to add some sugar. and now we're going to let it go for about three to five minutes. and you're going to want it to look like this. >> it's going to be fluffy and kind of almost white at this point. >> and then add the eggs.

>> with extra yolks, which is going to give it the beautiful golden color. if you want, you can pour in the vanilla and water for me, in here. >> sorry. >> that's okay. >> there we go. >> perfect. it'll end up in there anyway. >> exactly. >> in here too. >> we're going to wait one sec, turn this on. there we go. >> a lot of steps to the pound cake. >> it is. they're easy, but there are a lot of steps. slow, steady stream going in. you're going to want to scrape this down. as soon as it's incorporated, it's going to be a loose batter. >> right. >> add the salt as i just spilled it on myself. this is a messy day in the kitchen for us. you're going to turn it off. >> when it's a mess. >> exactly. >> so we get this off of here. >> these things, always hard to figure them out. >> i'm going to make a little bit of mess in your kitchen so we can move this along. >> and then you're adding the flour as the last step to the

process. >> going to sift it over that. >> why is it important to sift it? >> it's cake flour and it can clump because it's very fine. we're going to do that and you fold it in. do it a little bit at a time. when you fold it, make sure you're scraping the bottom, turning it over. >> right. >> then, here it is. >> finally you've got it in here. >> exactly. >> and there we go, 3/4 of the way full. >> and that delicious, orange dpla glaze. >> we're going to whisk together some sugar, and orange juice and dump the spices in. >> orange peel -- >> little orange zest. >> more importantly, let's dig in, right? >> what did you top this with over here? >> caramel. >> chocolate and caramel. >> pecans. >> doesn't get any better than this. >> thank you. great job. coming up, we've got kathie lee and hoda.

coming up, we've got kathie lee and hoda. as a pastor, my support for question 6 is rooted in my belief that the government should treat everyone equally. i would not want someone denying my rights based upon their religious views, therefore i should not deny others based upon mine. it's about fairness. this law does not force any church to perform a same sex marriage if it's against their beliefs. and that's what this is about. protecting religious freedom and protecting all marylanders equally under the law. join me in voting for question 6.